Category - chile

The arrest of a 22-year-old woman in the city of Temuco in Chile for “consensual abortion” must spur the Chilean authorities on to pass proposed legislation to decriminalise abortion, says Amnesty International.

On 11th September 1973, General Pinochet seized power in a vicious coup that led to the death of democratically elected President Salvadore Allende and resulted in the death and torture of many thousands of people. This is the 'other 9/11', points out Anna Schwoub, previewing the powerful and moving play Tejas Verdes.

Natividad Llanquileo is a young woman from the Mapuche people, an indigenous group that makes up some four per cent of the Chilean population. She is also the youngest representative of the Mapuche political prisoners in Concepción. Alberto Dufey hears her story, and that of her people.

Watching a tragedy from afar can leave you feeling helpless. But the facilities of the 'instant media' era are not just voyeuristic - they can make a vital difference - securing information, soliciting donations and assisting prompt and better targeted responses from NGOs and international bodies.

A massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit Chile at 03.34 local time on Saturday 27 February. The extent of the damage is still difficult to determine, but buildings have collapsed and more than 300 people are already reported dead.

A former secret police commander and three agents who served in former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet's regime have been sentenced to seven years in prison for the 1974 disappearance of a Spanish priest.